The Identity Crisis of Immigrant Patriarch Doak
Back to The Doak Ancestors of David Doak who married Jane Beard One of the many issues over which the Doak family genealogists disagree--to a point just short of nuclear war-- is the identity of the father of the sibling Doaks who in or about 1738/9 settled in what became Augusta County, Virginia. There is, however, no need for disagreement if one simply examines the evidence that is available from verifiable primary sources. 1693: John Doak was born in the parish of Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland. Helen Odum Harrell, whose research revealed the above fact, went on to identify him as the younger of two known sons of Robert and Margaret Doak. They had arrived at Boston in 1718, were "warned out" by the Selectmen, and joined the party that pioneered the settlement of Nutfield, later named Londonderry, New Hampshire. There John and his brother James were each allocated a half share of one plot, the standard issue for unmarried men. 1724: John Doak, by then of Donegal, Pennsylvania, sold his half share of land at Londonderry, New Hampshire to his brother James. 1726/7 (old style) John Doak and mother were listed in the "Donegal Rate" tax list, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 1729: A petition is signed by, among others, James Doak, Thomas Mitchell, and Thomas and William Wilson. This was for the formation of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. For those who favor Robert as the immigrant patriarch of the Augusta County, Virginia Doaks, the task is clear: produce evidence that James, brother of John Doak of Donegal, Pennsylvania and formerly of Nutfield, New Hampshire, was the "James Doke" who signed the 1729 petition and I will maybe listen to you. You would, however, still need to answer as to the age of the John Doak who settled in Nutfield, New Hampshire--the latest he could have been born is 1698, and that is only if you "cherry pick" Helen Harrell's research. The eldest known son of John Doak, then of Rowan County, North Carolina, was married in 1760 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. The son, Robert Doak, who wrote his will in 1796, could therefore have been born as late as 1739 if he was only just turned 21 when he married. Robert's brothers, James and John, Jr., married in 1775 and 1773 respectively; there is no evidence that supports the contention that the John Doak who pioneered new land in Rowan County, North Carolina which was surveyed for him in 1757, was anything much over 50, let alone an advanced sexagenarian, which he would have been if he was born in Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland in 1693. As for the "Samuel for Patriarch Doak" campaign, please supply verifiable evidence that your candidate existed and give reasons why he did not sign the "Lancaster Petition". And then there is James Samuel, or James-Samuel---or should that really be Jesse James Samuel "Clutching at Straws" Doak? Thanks for the laugh. Verifiable evidence, please, from primary sources, or you do not deserve a hearing. (In exceptional circumstances reliable secondary sources may warrant consideration.) Basil RED, Cork, Ireland